Donnees Chimiotaxinomiques sur les Boraginacees

Abstract

On the basis of gas chromatographical examinations in Boraginaceae (40 species; 88 seed samples), the presence of gamma-linolene and octadekatetraene acid is characteristic with the exception of Heliotropioideae. lntraspecific differences were found with regard to both gamma-linolene acid (Borago officinalis), and tetraene acid (Lapulla squarrosa). The relegation of the genera Alcanna, Asperugo and Caccinia to the tribes A nchuseae, Eritrichieae and Cynoglosseae cannot be upheld. With its maximum unsaturated fatty acid content, the Lithospermeae differentiated the most from the primordial Heliotropioideae. As regards carbon chain lengthening (22 : 1) the deviation of Cynoglossaeae is maximum on the other hand. The rest of the taxa within the other families could he chemotaxonomically arranged with the points of reference of there three end products.